For decades, automotive bumpers have been made of metal, and are usually supported by one or several shock-absorbing support members, usually of steel. Every pound of weight in a vehicle increases its gasoline consumption. Thus, it is desirable to provide an automotive component of lighter weight than heretofore possible. In the past few years, bumper beams have been developed from composite fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin stampable sheets, which have met with acceptance in the industry.